1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

written, "Being made perfect through suffering, He becamethe Author of eternal salvation to all who obeyR5067 : page 228Him." So His followers are made perfect through suffering.The Master's perfecting, indeed, was a little differentfrom ours, and yet there is a similarity between the two.He was perfect before He humbled Himself; He was stillperfect as the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself; butas a result of His consecration He received a begetting ofthe Holy Spirit to the divine nature, and His developmentas a New Creature required that He faithfully carry outHis vow, or covenant of sacrifice, in the doing of the willof the Heavenly Father. By such faithfulness He perfectedHimself on the divine plane--that is, He provedHimself worthy according to the covenant--"Worthy isthe Lamb that was slain to receive glory, honor, dominionand power."--Rev. 5:12.Similarly the followers of Jesus are to be sharers withHim in the sufferings of this present time and in theglories which shall follow, for "If we suffer with Him weshall also reign with Him." (2 Tim. 2:12.) Althoughwe are imperfect in the flesh, while He was perfect, yetthe robe of His righteousness, the merit of His sacrifice,covers all of our blemishes and makes us, as His footstepfollowers, holy and acceptable before the Father, as joint-sacrificerswith Jesus.The begetting of the Holy Spirit starts us in the lifedivine. We are not to be perfected in the flesh, but in thespirit, and our perfection and acceptance with the Fatherwill be demonstrated by our loyalty of heart and the fulnessand thoroughness with which we submit our all to theDivine will and seek to glorify God in our bodies andspirits which are His. (I Cor. 6:20.) Our justificationcomes to us as a reward of faith, regardless of works, butour glorification will follow as a reward for faithfulness.THESE GIFTS ARE LASTINGNot merely for a few days or years were these giftsto the Church provided; on the contrary, they were toendure throughout this entire Age, until the Church perfectedshall pass beyond the veil and be forever with herRedeemer, to share His glory, honor and immortality.The Lord from time to time has raised up evangelists,pastors and teachers for this glorious service of preparingthe "chaste virgin," the Church, to be the Bride in glory.But the Apostolic office, as represented in The Twelvespecially provided by the Father, has continued and needsno replenishment. We still have their instructions as fullyas the early Church, "that the man of God may be perfect,thoroughly furnished unto every good work."--2 Tim. 3:16,17.That the Apostle did not understand the matter to bemerely for a day, but throughout this Age, until the completion